Andrew and Abigail

While these past two weeks home were by no means the most productive two weeks off I've had, I can't remember a time when I was so extremely happy for so many days in a row.  Though many different factors contributed to this, there were two events in specific, one non-musical and one musical, which I'd like to relay.

Firstly, my best friend from my childhood got married!  Andrew and I became best friends in 4th grade and stayed close all the way through high school.  And, though we briefly lost touch during college (I'm learning that distance, even with the internet, can affect friendships), I was honored and thrilled when he asked me to be one of his groomsman.  In reality, I was eagerly looking forward to this wedding since last fall!

With Jana and Andrew at the reception!

There was one, distinctly bittersweet moment for me at the end of the reception when I watched Andrew and Jana say goodbye to their guests.  For about 20 seconds, I had this strange surge of emotion fully realizing just how much time has passed...it seems like just yesterday we were playing video games, antagonizing his little sister (sorry, Elizabeth!), and building forts in his living room.

Growing up, though inevitable, will always be weird to me.  Oh well.

I was unaware, however, that the next day had nearly as much excitement in store!  

There's this banjo player and singer named Abigail Washburn.  While it seems like everyone in Barrage has been telling me to listen to her for a while, I just never got around to investing myself into a new artist.  A friend of mine posted a few days prior that she was going to be playing at The Rhythm Room in Phoenix, a dive-bar-of-a-venue to which I'd never been.  Knowing the others in Barrage would say I was stupid to have not gone, I decided to go, even not knowing much about her.

Do yourself a favor and do something I wish I had done sooner: listen to Abigail Washburn.  

She's a genius.

Her quirky spin on American folk music is too good for words, and the musicians with whom she surrounds herself are brilliant.  I've been listening to her new album, City of Refuge, pretty much non-stop since Sunday.  If she is performing near you, I implore you to see her live.

The incredible amounts of fun continue tonight -- I'm flying on tour early to Philadelphia to visit one of my close friends from high school!  The first of ten shows in a row (...yes, ten shows in a row) is this Saturday, outside Philly.

Goodbye, Cleveland Airport.  Your layover made this entry possible.